Toxic damage of the optic nerve by smoking a tobacco mixture using a hookah

Abstract

Recent years have seen an increase in tobacco mixture smokers using hookahs. Dangerous substances released during smoking cause substantial harm to the entire body, and bring about visual impairment with toxic optical neuropathy. Eye structures which are the most susceptible to toxin damage are the cells of the optic nerve and retina. Substances released when smoking hookah tobacco mixtures have a direct neurotoxic impact on the optic nerve and cause metabolic damage to the retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cells. Timely detection of this damage is complicated by the similarity of its clinical picture with other optic nerve diseases, which requires a thorough differential diagnosis.